Auburn Ski Club hosts trio of races

North Tahoe senior Shane Christian powers his way to a first-place finish in the Auburn Ski Club Foothill Freestyle on Friday.

A couple of Sugar Bowl Academy Nordic athletes combined their cross-country skiing ability with marksmanship skills to win the 10th Mountain Division Biathlon at Auburn Ski Club on Sunday.

Sam Zabell claimed the top spot among 15 competitors in the 5-kilometer pro race, posting a time of 28:20.1, while Sugar Bowl Academy classmate Peter Carroll finished second in 29:47.8.

Phillip Violett rounded out the top three with a time of 30:07.7. He was followed by Dan Warren (31.39.1) and Dave Eastwood (32:24.7).

Athletes in the pro division shot four times — twice in the prone position and twice standing — and skied a 1K lap between shots. Each had five rounds to knock down five targets or ski a 150-meter penalty lap for every target missed.

In the 3K novice race, meanwhile, Claire Lang-Ree claimed victory in a time of 17:39.8. Keith Weiland was second in 18:13.1 and Jan Nygard third in 18:51.9, followed by Orion Maxwell (19:23.9) and Thomas Reid (19:30.8).

Buff Wendt was the second female finisher and 11th overall in 21:21.7. The novice race was most popular of the three, with 32 entrants.

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In the 2K youth race, which featured a 29-member field, Natalie Lang-Ree took the win with a time of 5:53.8, while Ryan Newberger was second in 6:39.4 and Lily Bradley third in 6:45.8. Addison Atkin (7:17/8) finished fourth and Tashi Ferris (7:19.1) fifth.

The annual 10th Mountain Division Biathlon is held in honor of the ski and mountain troops of World War II.

Christian, Larkins tops in high school race

North Tahoe's Shane Christian and Julien Bordes swept the top two boys spots in the Auburn Ski Club Foothill Freestyle hosted by Nevada Union High School on Friday, posting times of 11:36.34 and 11:48.16, respectively.

They were followed by Zabell, Sugar Bowl Academy teammate Ryland Belisle and Truckee's Aaron Deeter. North Tahoe's Dylan Syben was sixth.

Truckee's Lizzie Larkins won the high school girls race for the second straight week, holding off Sugar Bowl Academy's Danielle Nivinski (13:28.35) and Bria Riggs (13:44.88) in a time of 13:16.08.

In middle school competition, Grace Bronstrone of Alder Creek held off Sugar Bowl Academy's Chloe Gorman for the girls win in a time of 7:04.7 to Gorman's 7:05.0. North Tahoe's Camille Syben was third in 7:22.2, followed by Eleanore Hamilton of the Sugar Bowl Academy and five Alder Creek skiers — Frances Hamilton, Megan Burrill, Britta Winans, Kianna Mullings and Megan Flynn.

North Tahoe's JC Schoonmaker won the boys middle school race for the second straight week in a time of 6:17.8. Alder Creek's Haydn Halvorsen was second in 6:55.2 and Alder Creek teammate Tyler Ferrera was third in 7:16.0. Nate Cutler of North Tahoe was fourth and Jared Mahler of Mammoth fifth.

Auburn Ski Club hosted a third competition in four days with the MLK Freestyle Junior Olympic Qualifier on Monday.

Spencer Eusden and Wyatt Fereday finished 1-2 in the U18/U20 boys 15K, posting times of 34:32.3 and 35:01.5, respectively. Syben was third overall and first in his U18 class in 37:00.3. He was trailed by Bordes, Carroll, Deeter, Evan Vomund and Carson Bold.

Nivinski won the U18/U20 girls 10K in a time of 27:40.9. Kirkeby was second in 27:58.1 and Blide third in 29:58.2. They were followed by Tara Gallant, Hartley, Elise Hardy, Kelly Habibi and Ingrid Roske.

In the U14/U16 race, which measured 5K, Casey Jobe took the win in 11:59.2. Belisle was second in 12:02.2 and Brandon Herhusky third in 12:14.3.

Schoonmaker was first among U14 athletes and sixth overall in 12:54.5. Halvorsen was second in the U14 class and Nate Cutler third.

Hannah Halvorsen was the top U16 girl and fourth overall, finishing in 12:36.9, Larkins was second in 13:32.1 and Jenna Rohlf third in 14:12.1.

Bronstone was the top U14 and 14th overall, in 14:22.1. She was followed by Gorman (15:02.8) and Syben (15:25.9).